Having very much enjoyed Oliver's previous book 'Four Thousand Weeks', I was interested to see what he would come up with next. And this proves another thought-provoking and challenging read, inviting us to change the way we approach life - to enjoy it more and fret about things less. It's a self-help guide but with heft! It's not trite or unrealistic but sensible, wise and encouraging - in my opinion!

In his earlier book Oliver explained that our lifespan, realistically, might be four thousand weeks (that's actually 76 years, but sounds much less when listed as weeks). So we need to think about how we spend each week of our life. 

And that doesn't mean packing in more activities, experiences, jobs. Instead it means working out what is really important and prioritising that.

This book unpacks that and takes it further. 

He makes the case for living a life of 'imperfectionism' and I found it very freeing and energising!

He reflects on ideas in philosophy, religion, literature and psychology and shares tips throughout on how we might feel liberated from the demands, expectations and restrictions we've placed on ourselves through society today.

For example, he invites us to stop writing 'to do' lists but think about compiling a 'done' list. Or at least reevaluating what makes it on to a list anyway. If you've listed getting on top of your emails, for example, that's a fool's game, because it won't ever happen. And if your list of tasks is so long you'll never achieve them in a day, why are you punishing yourself? Are all those tasks really essential?

The reader is invited to take the book as a four-week 'retreat of the mind'(!). I read it in a couple of sittings but all the time thinking I wanted to come back to it and read it more slowly, taking the opportunity to fully digest and apply what he was explaining and suggesting. It's a great book - I hope you'll give it a try!